Transfer fixture



July 21, 1964 i N. F. GUBITOSE 3,141,558

TRANSFER FIXTURE Filed June 6, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT'UF? N. 1E'LJ 17*055 RWEL July 21, 1964 N. F. GUBITOSE TRANSFER FIXTURE 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1962 July 21, 1964 N. F. GUBITOSE TRANSFERFIXTURE s Sheds-Sheet s Filed June 6, 1962 United States Patent3,141,558 TRz-hNSiFER FlXTURE Nicholas F. Guhitose, Emmaus, Pan,assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., acorporation of New Yorlr Filed June 6, 1962, Ser. N 21111521 5 illaims.(61. 214-1) This invention relates to transfer fixtures and particularlyto a transfer fixture for transferring articles, such as contactsutilized in sealed contact switches to an article assembly apparatus.

In the manufacture of scaled contact switches, it is mandatory that apair of small, fragile contacts assemled therein be loaded and properlyoriented in the assembly apparatus. The orientation must be such thatthe opposing end portions of the contact pair are in parallelrelationship and at a prescribed distance from each other so that theycan be moved into precise overlapping relationship without injury for anultimate sealed coating operation.

Accordingly, the object of this invention is a transfer fixture forquickly and accurately loading a pair of articles in an assemblyapparatus.

in accordance with the general features of the invention, a fixture isprovided for transferring a pair of articles from a first location to asecond location and includes movable means having a pair of magneticholders connected thereto for holding the articles. Adjustable means arecooperatively associated with the magnetic holders for spacing thearticles a predetermined distance from each other. At the secondlocation, means are provided for removing the articles from the magneticholders, the articles being maintained at said predetermined distanceestablished at the first location.

In a preferred embodiment, a pair of contacts of a switch assembly aretransferred from the fixture at the first location to a switch assemblyapparatus at the second location. The fixture is provided with a bodyhaving an upper and lower magnetic holder for receiving the contacts inparallel relationship, the opposing ends of the contacts being properlyspaced by adjusting means connected to the magnetic holders. The body ispivotally moved adjacent to the apparatus such that upper and lowerchuck holders connected thereto, each having a pair of jaws, are inproper orientation to receive the contacts from the fixture. Linkagemeans on the fixture are operated to engage cam elements which, in turn,cause the jaws to close and grasp the contacts while maintaining thecontacts in their parallel relationship and prescribed distance fromeach other.

Other objects will be apparent and a fuller understanding of theinvention may be had by referring to the following description andclaims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the transfer fixture;

FIG. '2 is a side view of the transfer fixture and article receivingchuck holders, and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of the article receiving chuckholders.

With reference to the drawing, the invention is incorporated in atransfer fixture having a body 11 pivotally connected to a fixed member11 by a fastening bolt unit 12, thereby permitting the body to be movedbetween work loading and unloading positions, as described in moredetail hereinafter. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, body 111 is provided withan upper holder 13 and a lower holder 13. It should be noted that sincethe upper and lower holders have substantially similar components andfunctions, reference numerals thereto will be the same except that thenumbers referring to the lower holder components will be primed.

magnets 13-18.

ice

Each holder resembles an inverted E and includes a pair of arms 15-15,preferably U-shaped and defining slots 16-16. The narrow walls 17-17 ofthe arms 15-15 consist of magnets 18-13, the magnets serving to hold thecontacts W-W' during their transfer to jaws 31-31, as seen in FIG. 3.Holders 15-15 are adjustably movable by screws 23-23 so that they may bedisposed in any desired location with respect to each other. In theinstant embodiment, holder 15 is adjusted slightly off center withrespect to holder 15 thereby resulting in magnets 18-13 being inparallel relationship upon a geometric projection of the holders.However, if desired, the holders can be in axial alignment so that theopposing end portions of a pair of articles received therein aredisposed along a common central axis.

Also, it should be noted, that while the preferred arms herein areU-shaped to facilitate the reception of articles, such as arcuatelyshaped contacts W-W used in sealed contact switches, they can be of anyconfiguration. Further, the slot, if one is desired, can be contouredsimilarly to that of the article received therein.

The contacts W- are loaded in their respective holders 13-13 at a firstlocation such that one end portion 2:11-20 thereof engages itsrespective adjustable screw 21-21 therein, screw 21 extending upwardlythrough the bottom arm 22 of holder 13 towards arm slots 16, and screw21 extending downwardly through the top arm 22 of holder 13 towards armslots 16'. Screws 21-21 are adjustably set to space the contacts at adesired length from each other so that they are properly oriented whenreceived in the jaws 31-31 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of an apparatus 26 whereinthey are assembled with other components to form the sealed contactswitches.

Body 111 is pivotally moved, either manually or by any conventionaldrive means (not shown), towards a second location until a set screw 27thereon contacts an extending member 28 of apparatus 26. At thislocation the other end portions 313-311 of contacts W-W, that is, thefree ends extending through their respective magnetic holder slots16-16, are positioned between the pairs of jaws 31-31 of chuck holders29-29. The jaws are held in an open position by wedge shaped cams 35-35extending from levers, generally referred to at 3Z32', which arepivotally connected to pins 33-33 attached to supporting elements 34-34of the chuck holders. The cams 35-35 are inserted between the pairs ofjaws 31-31 by any suitable drive means, such as air cylinder units36-36, which engage levers 32-32 thereby causing the jaws to open and beready to receive the contacts W-W. Springs 37-37, connected to each pairof jaws 31-31, are placed under tension at this time.

After the contacts W-W are located within their respective jaws 31-31, arotating crank 41) having a shaft 44 extending through body support 11is operated causing linkage 42 connected to the shaft 44 to verticallymove an upper plunger 43 and a lower plunger 43 in opposite directions,as seen in FIG. 2. Each plunger strikes its respective pivotal lever32-32 which, in turn, permits cams 35-35 to be removed from the chuckjaws thereby causing springs 37-37 to compress and close jaws 31-31. Asa result, contacts W-W maintain their orientation with respect to eachother as when they were located in the magnetic holders 13-13 at thefirst location. Crank 40 automatically returns to its normal inoperativeposition by a spring 45 connected thereto.

The fixture is then pivotally returned to the load position ready toreceive a new pair of contacts W-W. During this returned movement, thecontacts are removed without injury from their magnetic holders sincethe force of closed jaws 31-31 is greater than the strength ofSubsequently, the one end portion 2-2t of contacts W-W, which are nowfreely exposed in the chuck holder, are moved into precise overlappingposition with respect to each other by suitable means (not shown)driving the chuck holders, whereupon an encapsulation operation isperformed to seal the contacts. Afterwards, air cylinder units 3636' areoperated thereby causing cams 3535 to pass between and to open jaws313l, thus releasing the formed sealed contact switch. The jaws are nowready to receive a new pair of contacts WW' which were inserted withinthe holders 13ll3' at the first location during the switch assemblyoperation.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of the invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for transferring a pair of elongated articles from afirst location to a second location,

a body movable from the first location to the second location,

a pair of magnetic holders connected to the body for holding thearticles in a predetermined relationship with respect to each other,

adjustable means cooperatively associated with the magnetic holders forspacing the articles a prescribed distance from each other,

a pair of chuck holders located at the second location,

cam means cooperatively associated with the chuck holders for moving thechuck holders to an open position,

means for moving the body from the first location to the second locationsuch that a portion of each article extends through its respective openchuck holder, and

linkage means operable for actuating the cam means to cause the chuckholders to close and grasp said portion of each article whilemaintaining the articles in said predetermined relationship andprescribed distance from each other.

2. In an apparatus for transferring a pair of elongated articles from afirst location to a second location,

a body,

a pair of magnetic holders connected to the body for holding thearticles in parallel relationship,

adjusting means cooperatively associated with the mag netic holders forspacing the articles a prescribed distance from each other,

a pair of chuck holders located at the second location,

a lever cooperatively associated with each chuck holder,

a cam extending from each lever and insertable between its respectivepair of chuck holders to hold the chuck holders in an open position,

means for moving the body from the first location to the second locationsuch that a portion of each article is located within its respectiveopen chuck holder, and

linkage means operable for engaging the levers causing the cams to beremoved from the chuck holders thereby resulting in the chuck holdersclosing and grasping said portion of each article while maintaining thearticles in said parallel relationship and prescribed distance from eachother.

3. In an apparatus for transferring a pair of contacts of a switchassembly from a first location to a second location,

spacing opposite ends of the contacts a prescribed distance from eachother,

an upper and lower chuck holder located at the second location, eachhaving a pair of jaws thereon,

resilient means connected to each pair of jaws for hoiding the jaws in aclosed position,

a lever cooperatively associated with each chuck holder,

a cam extending from each lever and insertable between its respectivepair of jaws for holding the jaws in an open position,

means for moving the body from the first location to the second locationsuch that a portion of each contact is located within its respectiveopen jaws, and

linkage means operable for engaging the levers causing the cams to beremoved from the jaws thereby resulting in the jaws closing and graspingsaid portion of each contact while maintaining the contacts in saidparallel relationship and prescribed distance from each other.

4. In an apparatus for transferring a pair of contacts of a switchassembly from a first location to a second location,

a body,

an upper and lower magnetic holder for receiving the contacts inparallel relationship at the first location,

adjusting means in opposing relationship connected to each magneticholder for contacting opposing end portions of the contacts to space thecontacts a prescribed distance from each other, the other ends of thecontacts extending freely through its respective holder,

an upper and lower chuck holder located at the second location, eachhaving a pair of jaws thereon,

resilient means connected to each pair of jaws for holding the jaws in aclosed position,

a lever cooperatively associated with each chuck holder,

a cam extending from each lever and insertable between its respectivepair of jaws for holding the jaws in an open position,

means for moving the body from the first location to the second locationsuch that the free ends of the contacts are located within theirrespective open jaws, and

linkage means operable for engaging the levers causing the cams to beremoved from the jaws thereby resulting in the jaws closing and graspingsaid free end portions while maintaining the contacts in said parallelrelationship and prescribed distance from each other, the contacts beingstripped from the magnetic holders as the body is returned to the firstlocation.

5. In an apparatus for transferring a pair or contacts of a switchassembly from a first location to a second location,

a body,

an upper and lower magnetic holder each contoured similarly to theconfiguration of the contacts and for receiving them in parallelrelationship,

adjusting means in opposing relationship connected to each magneticholder for contacting opposing end portions of the contacts to space thecontacts a prescribed distance from each other, the other ends of thecontacts extending freely through their respective holder,

an upper and lower chuck holder located at the second location, eachhaving a pair of jaws thereon,

resilient means connected to each pair of jaws for holding the jaws in aclosed position,

a lever cooperatively associated with each chuck holder,

a cam extending from each lever and insertable between its respectivepair of jaws for holding the jaws in an open position,

means for pivotally moving the body from the first location to thesecond location such that the free ends of the contacts are locatedwithin their respective open jaws,

linkage means connected to the body,

a p plungers tofthe ea ns and References Cited in the tile of thispatent means or operatingt e in age or causingt epungers to move inopposite directions to strike the levers UNITED STATES PATENTS anddisengage the cams from their respective jaws 731,665 Clayton June 23,1903 thereby resulting in the jaws closing and grasping 5 1 730,926 Fi hO 8, 1929 said free end portions While maintaining the con- 5 051 PeflerSept. 25 1934 tacts in said parallel relationship and prescribed dis-425127 Schafer Aug 1947 tance from each other, the contacts beingstripped 3O25978 Hm 1962 from the magnetic holders as the body isreturned to the first location. 10

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING A PAIR OF ELONGATED ARTICLES FROM AFIRST LOCATION TO A SECOND LOCATION, A BODY MOVABLE FROM THE FIRSTLOCATION TO THE SECOND LOCATION, A PAIR OF MAGNETIC HOLDERS CONNECTED TOTHE BODY FOR HOLDING THE ARTICLES IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP WITHRESPECT TO EACH OTHER, ADJUSTABLE MEANS COOPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITHTHE MAGNETIC HOLDERS FOR SPACING THE ARTICLES A PRESCRIBED DISTANCE FROMEACH OTHER, A PAIR OF CHUCK HOLDERS LOCATED AT THE SECOND LOCATION, CAMMEANS COOPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHUCK HOLDERS FOR MOVING THECHUCK HOLDERS TO AN OPEN POSITION, MEANS FOR MOVING THE BODY FROM THEFIRST LOCATION TO THE SECOND LOCATION SUCH THAT A PORTION OF EACHARTICLE EXTENDS THROUGH ITS RESPECTIVE OPEN CHUCK HOLDER, AND LINKAGEMEANS OPERABLE FOR ACTUATING THE CAM MEANS TO CAUSE THE CHUCK HOLDERS TOCLOSE AND GRASP SAID PORTION OF EACH ARTICLE WHILE MAINTAINING THEARTICLES IN SAID PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP AND PRESCRIBED DISTANCE FROMEACH OTHER.